HELP! Terrified! 2 wks to hysterectomy (one ovary will remain)

Hello,

I am scheduled to have my uterus, left ovary and tube and cervix removed in two weeks. There is a large mass (undetermined nature) on the left ovary, and several fibroids in uterus. They are leaving the right ovary.

I am terrified! I'm 41 years old, but this has all happened so quickly. I'm not really ready for an early menopause yet. I've read some posts here suggesting that some who have left one ovary *do* enter immediate menopause. My doctor has told me that this shouldn't happen. How likely is it?

I'm worried that because of fibroids and possible cancerous tumor (or precancerous?), that they may not even allow me to go on HRT, if necessary.

Are there any positive experiences about staving off menopause w/ one ovary??

Please help me. I'm scared silly about all of this, and I'm ready to just run away!

Hi muriel - try not to worry too much about what you have read; your doctor is the expert and knows best. I am 56 years old, have only one working ovary and have been praying for menopause (lol!) to end my misery. (Hasn't happened.) You're still young!

Muriel,

I have one of those "undetermined" abdominal masses and they don't know where it is attached! I'm with ya here cause there is a good possibility if my ovary on the other side is healthy, then they will leave it. Bad pathology though and everything goes, so it is a real nerve wracker to not know for sure.

My gyn/onc told me that I should function normally hormone wise with one ovary, so going into sudden menopause is pretty unlikely.

You gotta look on the bright side - get it out, have a benign diagnosis and go one with that one ovary limping along. HRT has come a long way, so even if you suddenly start menopause, there are things to help you with it.

And yes, me at 43 years old really don't want to go through menopause yet and get the menopause body at this young age. However, you and I both know the alternative is well, just not an alternative.

Hugs hang in there young lady and take one step at a time. Don't let the info hear make you more worried, take it with a grain of salt.

Muriel, I'm 6 weeks post-op from my LAVH but had one of my ovaries removed a couple of years ago due to cysts. I had a couple weeks of being a bit emotional but nothing too bad. The doctor warned me it could take a couple cycles for your remaining ovary to pick up the slack for the one that was removed but that it will in time and that has rung true with me.

Thank you all for your responses. My surgery is scheduled for Tuesday, so I'm in panic mode. Still, though, I appreciate the fact that each of you took the time to reply. It makes me feel better to know that there are others out there in the same boat (so to speak).